How to Write a Chef CV — Complete Guide for 2026
What to Put on a Chef CV
A great chef CV proves two things: you can cook under pressure, and you won't cause chaos in the kitchen. Hiring managers read dozens of chef CVs — yours needs to answer their questions before they ask them.
Start with a short profile summary — 2-3 sentences explaining your cuisine specialty, how many covers you handle comfortably, and whether you have team management experience. Then list your roles in reverse chronological order.
Contact Details
Full name, phone number, email, and location (city is enough — no full address).
Profile Summary
2-3 sentences: your cuisine type, years of experience, covers per service, and any management experience. Be specific.
Work Experience
List every kitchen role in reverse order. For each: restaurant name, location, your title, dates, and 3 bullet points on what you did — covers, cuisine type, team size.
Qualifications
Include your highest cookery qualification (NVQ Level 2/3, Professional Cookery Diploma, culinary school, or apprenticeship).
Skills
List specific techniques (pastry, butchery, fish cookery), equipment (Rational ovens, sous vide), and food hygiene certifications.
Chef CV Tips That Get Interviews
Three things get a chef hired: high covers, clean hygiene record, and kitchen leadership. Make all three visible on your CV.
Use numbers wherever possible
'200 covers per service' or 'team of 6 chefs' tells a head chef immediately what level you work at.
Name your food hygiene rating
If you've maintained or contributed to a 5-star EHO rating, put it on your CV. It's a low-effort signal of high professionalism.
Be specific about cuisines and techniques
Don't write 'cooking experience'. Write 'modern British, classical French sauces, whole animal butchery'.
Show progression
Commis → Chef de Partie → Sous Chef → Head Chef. If you've moved up, make that visible.
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Use our chef CV template — pre-filled with real kitchen experience, free to edit in minutes, and downloadable as a clean PDF. No subscription, no account required.